Only a hero can save us now
by Linneagb
Summary: With that thief Ryan wasn't the hero everyone thought he were. But Ryan changed, and once again he gets the chance to be the hero. Only problem is... he might literally be drowning in the works of saving someone else.
1. A horse named Hero

**Well, I sort of had an idea when the latest series of the dumping ground started. And I was really scared that things would move on so my idea wouldn't work. But it did, and it was perfect and here it is. Enjoy! **

I had always found beaches nice even when it wasn't summer or temperatures to go swimming.

Well, as it turns out the kids of Ashdene Ridge could never see what I saw.

"Mike…" Floss moaned soon after we got there. "It's cold, we can't go swimming, there's nothing to do here…"

I stopped listening at the point.

"Look over there." I pointed to a bridge down by the water where Alex stood gazing over the water and Finn was making something in the sand nearby. "Those two seem to be enjoying themselves and… Ryan?"

It took a bit until he was close enough to have a conversation with. But when I looked around I could see two horses coming close, and with riders on each on their backs the younger of them was easy to recognize.

"Hey Richard." Charlie greeted the owner of the stables first. "Hey Ryan." Floss, and quite a few of the kids who were standing around seemed impressed by the big horse he sat on, the horse didn't seem as impressed by the kids though and backed away.

"Pet Betsy instead." Ryan gestured towards the brown kind- looking horse that Richard sat on. "This one's a bit wild. This is Hero." Ryan patted the neck of the big, grey horse he sat on and the horse started stepping back and forth- as if tap dancing. "Whoa boy… I think you've been standing in your stall for too little too long, haven't you? You've got so much energy you react to every single move I make."

Hero seemed to agree- he even threw his head up and down as if nodding and Ryan let show a slight smile. Of a kind I had never seen before, during the many days I had seen him…

"Ryan is turning into quite the horse rider." Richard said, looking like the proud father- figure that I was. "It hasn't been a year yet and he's learning fast. I could have let him ride old Betsy…" He patted the neck of the horse he was riding himself. "…But I figured he might need a challenge."

Ryan looked as if he agreed, but also seemed to have his hands full with trying to keep Hero standing still. And with him seeming concentrated and even as if he and Hero were the only ones existing in this world I couldn't help but smile. There was something in only seeing Ryan on the horseback that told me all about the changes he had made with growing for the last few years.

Sometimes I could just pretend I didn't know it was him who moved those wallets…

And then there was that reading of everyone's files, smashing the windows in my car and taking Carmen's, getting me fired…

I shook my head and gave a short chuckle to myself. All of that was so far away…

"I think we shall get going then." Richard said. "We might want to use the paddock, the sand is as heavy for horses to walk in as for us. We can do it at some point but not when it's as humid as now… So. Let's go then Ryan."

Ryan gave a nod and raised his hand in a wave before he turned and I watched as the two were on their way. Around me Taz, Floss and Sid had started playing horses and Tyler and Jody had sat down a bit away for talking, Charlie had gone down to the bridge nearby…

"ALEX…"

"ALEX… SWIM ALEX. SWIM."

During all my years as a care worker I had learnt to hear from the tone in the voices along what was going on. Yet I had never heard anything like Charlie's and Finn's voices as they shouted for their friend and I quickly turned around.

Well, it was quickly for anyone else. For me every second felt like a million years.

And I had never been as afraid as I was when I saw Alex in the water, trying as hard as he could to swim but being sucked down by the current time and time again.

"ALEX."

I started running, Alex looked too far away for anyone, me neither to reach him if I stood on the bridge. But I had to try the least…

I was knocked over when something- someone made their way past me. I fell to my hands and knees in the sand and when I looked up there was something, someone big and grey- Hero and Ryan.

"RYAN? NO." I got up, ran to get the lifebuoy and then ran down towards the water. Damn- fifty years old and I've never run as fast as I did at the moment. Fear roaring up in my whole body that I was just about to lose a son. "RYAN…"

I could do nothing, Hero's hooves could no longer reach the ground and he started swimming. But with the current they were just a little bit too far away and I could see Ryan as he leaned over and whispered something in his ear.

And whatever it was, Hero must have understood because it was clearly visible when he used all of his power towards the current and right towards Alex who kept being sucked down under, all until Ryan was finally too close to grab his jacket and pull him onto the horseback with him.

At least that was the thought, and would so have been if Alex in panic wasn't hitting and kicking all around him.

I could hardly breathe and the seconds were endless until at last, I could see as Hero's hooves finally reached the ground again and he came trotting up on solid ground with Alex lying across his back, coughing his lungs out- but very much okay.

"Wait…" When Hero came over I helped Alex down, he ended up collapsing right backwards and still coughing wildly. "…Where's Ryan?"

Time had been moving at its normal pace for only a few seconds. And that until I could feel my heart start beating again I turned around and well…

Alex was up of the water, so was Hero. But so wasn't Ryan and he wasn't fighting and trying to swim like Alex had tried to.

I ran across the bridge holding onto the lifebuoy. Then threw it out towards the current but there was no use.

"I think Hero hit his head up when Ryan was trying to save Alex." Charlie cried from where she stood next to me. "I think it hit Ryan's head and knocked him out… I'm sorry. I tried to reach him but he was too far away. I can… I can…"

"No." I held her back. "No more kids out at sea today."

"But what are we supposed to do? If we call for help it's gonna be too late."

As if I didn't already know that!

But, Hero was a hero. And all of a sudden we could see him swimming out against the current just like he had with Ryan on his back earlier. But then… there was no one to help and pull him onto Hero's back, and Hero for certain wouldn't be able to lift Ryan in any way.

Hero must have been smarter than what I or anyone else thought, he bit in the fabric of Ryan's jacket and when he then came swimming back towards the bridge he dragged Ryan along with him. Ryan was still under water, still unconscious. But at least on his way towards us.

"Good boy Hero." I panted when I and Charlie got on our knees and only barely when Ryan was close enough for us to grab him and pull him onto the bridge. "Come on, come on…"

I had never known how heavy a child could get with water filling up all of their clothes.

And maybe we were already too late.

I had thought I could never be as afraid as I was when seeing Alex being dragged out towards sea by the current…

…I was proven wrong when I, with Hero's help pulled Ryan onto the bridge and I soon realized that he was unconscious and not breathing.

"No." I said, barely knowing I made a sound at all. "Come on Ryan." I placed one hand on his chest and the other on it, when I pressed again I could be sure I felt something crack and I must have broken a rib. There wasn't time to care about it though. "Come on." I mumbled again. "You know, your life just started. You just made it better yourself with starting to show who you really are…"

From somewhere that seemed like hundreds and hundreds of miles away I could hear someone screaming. But I couldn't take the time to answer to it while I leaned down again, leant Ryan's hand backwards and then leaned over and put my lips against his and blew.

_One, two, three…_

**I'm not sure if what Richard said about riding on the beach makes any sense. But it sounded right. **

**Random fact **

Until I sat down to write this it wasn't supposed to be Alex drowning. It wasn't supposed to be anyone from the dumping ground at all. It was supposed to be a girl named Hayden Jackwill and on the bridge would be her brother Luca Jackwill. But then I had this idea and… it sounded right to write something without oc's for a change.


	2. Black and blue

**Thanks to Justice237 and CharlieSmarts12 for reviewing. **

_One, two, three…_

I counted to thirty while pushing Ryan's chest in heart compressions and tries to wake him up. By number thirty I could have felt at least a couple of ribs breaking under my hands but there just wasn't time to worry about that now.

"Come on Ryan." I sat up and then laid a hand on his forehead and pushed it backwards before I leaned down towards his head. "Come on. It can't end like this, not now."

I put my lips around his, then counted again.

_One, two, three, fo…_

By the forth blow into his mouth and lungs Ryan suddenly shot upwards and started coughing. Spitting right into my mouth I flew backwards with a relieved sigh.

"That's okay kid." Ryan kept coughing, but weakly and I laid a hand on one of his shoulders and gently pushed him down into laying position on his side. "You're okay now."

"Ah…" he panted weakly. "Alex?"

"He's alright thanks to you." I looked up and when ambulance sirens started sounding louder and coming closer. "You're okay kid. Everybody's okay. Thanks to you. And thanks to Hero."

Ryan coughed weakly, as if it took his all to move at all. Then looked up, and when I turned I saw two ambulances pulling over by the beach and the two paramedics from one came crossing the beach and over to us, the male of them kneeled just by the teenage boy lying on the bridge.

"Hello Ryan. My name is Cameron and I will be coming with you in the back of the ambulance. This…" Cameron pointed with his thumb towards a woman paramedic. "…is Noelle. And she will drive us. Now. Should we carry the stretcher over here or can you walk?"

"I can walk." Ryan mumbled. "Don't need ambulance. Fine now."

"Let's just…" I tried, but lost my words after half the sentence and had to think for a moment to find the rest. "…I think you… we should go with them. You've probably breathed in a whole lot of water and they just need to check…" I thought back and remembered how I'd felt his ribs cracking under my hands. "…check so you're okay? Just to make sure?"

Ryan moaned, but heavily sat up and with one arm around my shoulders and one arm around Cameron's we slowly made our way onto the beach and up to the ambulance where Noelle was waiting with the stretcher and a blanket.

"There you go." Noelle tucked the yellow blanket around Ryan when he sat. "Is that good?" Ryan leaned his head backwards and seemed half asleep- I couldn't blame him. And sent a quick glance to Alex who was getting up on the stretcher in the other ambulance with Charlie and Finn standing right by them.

"What did I tell you about that helmet?" Richard came trotting on Betsy and holding Hero's lead just before Ryan was pushed into the back of the ambulance. "You do never take it off when horse riding. Not ever. And still you keep doing it and now look what happened."

"I was just so sweaty..."

"NEVER."

"Richard." I turned to the owner of the stables and the horses. "I think that's enough. Why don't I take Ryan back to the stable once… once things have calmed down. Okay?"

Richard was so red in the face and looked as angry as devil himself. But he took both Betsy and Hero by their reins and stomped away while I looked around on the two ambulances. And the one care worker who was here except for me.

"Charlie?" I shouted quickly. "Can you go with Alex? I'll go with Ryan."

"NO." Chloe shouted, and I guess it wasn't strange by any means. "NO. I WANT TO STAY WITH HIM." I saw May- Li walk over to her and try to calm her down. "HE'S MY BROTHER AND HE ALMOST DIED. I WANT TO STAY WITH HIM. HE WANTS ME TO STAY WITH HIM."

I would feel bad for it for the rest of my life. But there just wasn't time right now to fold the pieces of the wheelchair and lift Chloe into the seat that it would take before the ambulance could start driving up the hill once again and to the hospital.

"You can't right now." I heard May- Li's voice, with a weird, shaky tone I had never heard before. "Mike? You'll keep us updated right?"

"Yes of course." I climbed up in the shotgun seat of the ambulance, and when Noelle started driving next to me I leaned one arm against the door and looked out the window on our way towards the hospital, and through the mirror kept an eye on the ambulance driving behind us with Alex and Charlie in it.

I couldn't help but feel bad- it had been my idea to even go to the beach today. One cold winter day, and I should at least have made sure to keep everyone away from the water.

"Are you okay there Alex?" Alex was out of his ambulance first when we came to the garage. He seemed okay, even though Charlie worriedly looked at him and then followed. Ryan sure did look a whole lot worse when he, shivering and hacking turns hugging the blanket tightly to his sides in cold.

"The adrenaline is starting to wear out." Cameron told me while he started pushing the stretcher towards the A&E. "And believe me, he's going to be worse than this. But whatever you need tell anyone of staff you can see- they're there to help you."

"It's okay Ryan." I pulled a hand through his hair, almost expected it to be warm in a fever but it was just as cold as the water that had frozen to clumps in his light- colored hair and was cooling him down so to the point he was left shaking cold while we made our way from the ambulance garage and into the A&E

"Excuse me." I hurried over to the nurse pushing Alex's stretcher. "Would it be possible to put these two next to each other or in the same room? It's… Well, it's a long story really but I'd like to be able to care for both of them at the same time. If that can be sorted."

"Of course it can. Here… Lou. Let's put them here in the hallway, number twelve and thirteen." The nurse pushed Ryan's bed into a space with a sign that said "12" over it and the other ones pushed Alex into the one that said 13. And "Lou" pulled the curtains so they were covered from the hallway and the other beds, while it was opened in between them. "There, is that good."

"That's great… Charlie? Would you like to go home? I can call for a taxi."

"Please. Just let me stay. Just in case…"

"Of course." I patted her shoulder. "You're old enough to decide. But tell me if you cha… Ryan? What's wrong?"

The nurse Lou came over when Ryan suddenly shot up and started coughing and heaving. Cold, dirty water mixed with bile and whatever Ryan had eaten scattered onto the floor next to him when I, first frozen for two seconds and then hurried over and stroke Ryan's back while one heavy after the other wrenched his body painfully.

"It's okay Ryan. It's okay. Just try and relax."

Lou had taken a sick bag from a hanger on a wall, then looked at it and at all the dirty water and bile still scattering onto the floor. He shook his head without a sound and only handed it to Alex.

"Here you go."

Alex didn't hold it up, but seemed out of breath- almost as if he was on his way of needing it too when Ryan suddenly collapsed onto the bed, panting- obviously in pain while Lou stepped around the pool of water and vomit to get over to him.

"Is there anything I can do?" He asked, but with a disgusted look towards the floor. "And please let us know if there's anything more of that and we can get a basin or a vomit bag in time… I'll go get a cleaner."

"Ow…" Ryan didn't answer, but was stroking up and down towards his chest and seemed in a lot of pain. And when another nurse came past the curtain and, with a frown on her face came over to Ryan.

"Can you tell me where it hurts dear? Is it your stomach?"

I had a pretty good idea what it might be…

"My chest…"

"I think I might have broken quite a few ribs when… you know…"

"Heart compressions? Don't worry about that. It happens to us too and a broken rib is a cheap price to pay if his heart is beating again. Now… We'll take you up to the x-ray to check out which ones have broken and if there's anything we can do about it. But most likely we can just give you some painkillers and then wait for it to heal by itself."

"Ow."

Ryan gave a whimper again. I hadn't once seen him like this and it squeezed my heart. That strong boy!

"Can I go with him?" The nurse nodded, but glanced towards Alex who seemed to have a hard time breathing as he was pulling his wet, cold shirt off with the help of Lou. "Are you okay there Alex?"

"Yeah." Alex panted. "You can go with Ryan."

I would have wanted to thank him, but in the moment I was more concentrated on Ryan and helped him get his shirt off to see the big, black bruises that was forming towards his ribs.

I would have wanted to comment of the bruises I had made. But figured quickly that that wouldn't make anything better, grabbed the shirt Ryan was pulling off and pulled it over his arms.

"There you go." The nurse said and laid a hospital gown over his chest. "We'll get you another blanket soon. But we just need to get those pants and shoes off first."

Ryan seemed to not be able to move himself when I untied his shoes and pulled them off. It wasn't any strange, and as the nurse got a blanket and he wrapped himself in it before she and a nurse from the x-ray started pushing his bed down the hallway. I glanced to Alex one more time before I ran after them.

And I wished more than I ever knew I could I wouldn't ever have come up with that stupid idea of going to the beach.

I thought there was nothing that could make me wish for it more. But waiting for the x-ray I laid my hands around the teenage boy's to warm his fingers up and then felt the unusual ice- like temperature radiating into my palms I wished for it more.

Then there was the color of both them and his lips. It was blue! Everything was blue!

I hadn't ever wished I could take my children's pain myself as much as in that moment.

**Random fact **

What should I put here? Anyway, I studied to a nurse. And one of my old classmates had been working as a paramedic. And she wrote about it on Facebook and described that feeling of ribs cracking underneath her hands during heart compressions.

I have no idea how that ended.

**That is everything I could come up with. **

**See you next time! **


	3. Changes as usual

**Thanks to Justice237, BlueSatan12 and Joycechanxo for reviewing. **

"NO, RYAN."

While at sat right back at the A&E and waiting for Ryan to come back from the X-ray I checked the news. And come on! Did Candi- Rose have to film exactly everything.

Just like the video with the one when we though Ryan had purposely jumped right onto that criminal she had filmed it when Ryan came down to the water on Hero's back and reaching for Alex. And then more when Hero hit Ryan in the head and Ryan fell off.

The point when she had stopped filming finally was when the ambulances drove away from the beach.

And the one shouting in that video was Chloe, I hadn't heard her shouting so much from the beach when I was down on the bridge. But she must have because it was filmed. It was even filmed when Chloe tried to roll down her wheelchair on the sand and ended up with it getting stuck- when she tried her hardest with rolling it she ended up with it falling over and her being thrown right out down of it.

Tyler and Jody came to Chloe's aid but there Candi- Rose had lifted her phone and was back where Ryan finally sat up coughing and spitting, but very much breathing and alive while I sat hunched on the bridge in exhaustion.

"Does that girl have to share exactly everything?"

I mumbled to myself right before Ryan's bed was pushed back through the A&E and he came back. He hadn't gotten the chance to even try his phone- maybe it wasn't even working now for being full of water and probably hit by a horse and towards the bridge.

I scrolled down on the page, maybe it hadn't been seen much and I could ask her to take it down before Ryan had even known it had been put up.

It already had thousands of views, taking it down now would do no good. It had probably been shared somewhere else, through the whole town, if not the whole world.

The doctor more or less threw Ryan's x-ray pictures on a lightboard where his ribs showed. Three or four of them had been broken and I barely understood when the doctor explained to me what it meant or what it would mean in the future.

"Ryan's very lucky." The doctor said at last. "This one had moved only a few millimeters over here and it had damaged his heart. Who knows if he ever would have waken up then?"

Something hit my throat rougher than what an actual punch would have and I couldn't breathe. Right next to me sat Charlie and on her side Alex on his bed, having fallen asleep by everything that had happened even though it was only afternoon.

"Mike." I heard next to me as if Charlie had read my mind. "It wasn't your fault. You just did what you had to and thanks to that Ryan is really here and breathing…" I wasn't able to squeeze an answer through my thick throat. "…I'll go down to the cafeteria." Charlie didn't seem to be able to find another thing to say about that and changed the subject. "We both need somewhere to raise our blood sugar levels and I'm pretty sure these boys will get their dinners from the doctors."

"_It wasn't your fault." _

I could hear and hear again what Charlie had told me. But then louder there was thoughts about the boy who laid right next to me, his whole chest black and blue, so near to have to leave at this point, when things had finally changed to him and his truths.

"Here."

I hadn't even noticed the time passing by when Charlie came back holding a pack of Tesco sandwiches and a fizzy drink right in front of my face…

"I guess, here comes the food for the boys."

Just as she had said that a nurse each had come and put plates on the boys' bedside tables and pushed them closer while waking them up. The nurse that had woken Ryan up and given food stayed by him when he started eating. I hoped she wouldn't want to talk about what was the most realistic thing. But of course…

"Hey, I remember you. You stopped that burglar. That video was all over the internet and you were on TV and in Lord knows how many papers. Then there was that something about you being dressed up as a clown. Gosh, my son wanted to know everything about that and now he wants nothing else than your autograph. Can we give him one if I gave a pen and paper?"

I knew by now that Ryan had accepted to himself and to me even that grabbing that criminal was an accident. And it wasn't that he'd been trying to keeping it a secret during that day at the bus station before my wedding but he hadn't exactly shouted it out either.

If this got the big news that only time would tell what would happen, and right then, if glares could kill from both my own and Ryan's there wouldn't have been much left of that nurse.

"No? No autograph? How can you deny that for a…"

"I think that's enough." I stood up and tenderly pushed away the nurse from him. "Ryan's been through a lot today and that story with the criminal is a whole story in itself that Ryan wouldn't have chosen to get out in the way it did. Now, leave. Or I will have to make you…"

Now I was the one who glared so much there wouldn't have been much left of the nurse. But I was relieved when she turned away and left us.

Ryan was barely nibbling on the burger and French fries that was on this day's menu. He held one arm pressed to his ribs at all time and from his eyes pain was shining.

"Should I get the doctor? Maybe he can give you some painkillers?"

"No…" Ryan mumbled and took a bite but I could see how it was growing in his mouth. "I'm good. It's just… well… I was just wondering how Chloe's doing after everything. I suppose… Well, maybe I kind of scared her."

"Kind of… Well, I guess she's fine now. She went home with the others but she wanted to come with the ambulance when we were at the beach and leaving. Would you want her to come here now?"

Ryan hesitated, then shook his head and pushed away the bedside table with the food.

"If that's okay. I'd like to go to the dumping ground after finishing here… I don't want to live there or anywhere… But Richard is going to hate me now for taking off my helmet and ended up here and I think I could do without that for just one single moment."

Ryan stopped, as if he just realized he'd said something he shouldn't. That he had suddenly asked and wished for something despite being as strong as he'd been this far.

"That's okay with all of us Ryan. And I think you know that."

For a second it did seem like Ryan wanted to give me a smile. But even if he wanted to he just hesitated too much before he was interrupted by that nurse coming once again. And I had a bad feeling about her turning up before I saw she had her phone opened.

"Look."

With one word simple she held her phone screen where Ryan could see it. I couldn't but I heard right away it was the video Candi- Rose had taken on the beach and then Chloe shouting several times about how she was frightened for her brother's sake.

When it was finished he leaned back and looked away even though the video started over again. He looked like he wanted to put his hands over his ears and that even before the doctor came in and talked about the broken ribs and how close to death he had really been.

It was like I saw how much things were spinning for Ryan because suddenly I hit my hand in the bed's metal railing and shouted as if I did it for children.

"ENOUGH."

Both the doctors and the three nurses that stood around Ryan all jumped when I stood up and in the corner of my eye I could see Charlie in the corner of my eye when I stood up and both she and Alex had jumped too.

Ryan was the only one who didn't. He sat sort of crouched with his arms around his ribcage and looking down as if he didn't know anyone or anything around him.

"That's enough." I said at last. "Ryan's been through a lot today and he certainly isn't helped by that video, or someone trying to make him eat, or someone else telling him he almost died- even though he did. Can't you wait a twenty four hours or so before you tell anyone someone like that when they're still in shock? Now, I want you all to leave. And unless you want me, or Ryan, or Alex or Charlie something that really cannot wait until in the morning leave us alone. Is that clear?"

The nurses and the doctor mumbled something about other patients and left the curtain behind which Ryan laid behind. And I couldn't help but feel quite proud of myself when I slumped back and thought back to how I had just taken part in making them all leave.

"Hey… Ryan." Alex shouted from his place, Ryan slightly turned his head to see him. "This wouldn't have happened if not for me so… I just thought I'd say I'm sorry."

But even more I was of myself, I was of my kids.

Both Ryan and Alex had been close dying today. Both of them had been dozing on and off since they came here. But as they both turned and closed their eyes. I knew there was no more talking to them for the next twelve hours or so.

"I could call May- Li." I told Charlie almost whispering. "And she could come and pick you up if you don't want to stay at the hospital for the whole night. I doubt you'll be making any sense here actually." I smirked to make it seem like a joke but Charlie did have a way with knowing just what we meant at all times and shook her head. "Well then. Those sandwiches were very small. I'll go to the cafeteria myself and see if there's anything. I'll bring you back something."

The evening passed by and turned into the longest night of my life. With coffee and Tesco sandwiches I had made up my mind to stay awake for the two boys that laid on either side of me.

They might have only been back here for observation. Which meant that they were fine anyway. Every now and again a doctor or a nurse came in, checked pulse, checked breathing, took temperature, woke up for a few seconds, greeting me and the dark- skinned girl who sat sleeping in the chair next to me.

And when morning finally came I was tired, achy and angry at everyone who came through the curtains and was checking on the boys.

"I think you can leave now." The nurse told Charlie and Alex quite soon. "I think I'll take an x-ray of your ribs. Just in case."

Ryan didn't show much feeling about it, he was obviously annoyed- as anyone would be. But he didn't make a fuss when a nurse gave him directions and walked ahead of me up the stairs and pointed to the sign on the door that said phones needed to be turned off.

"I'll stay here." Just as I had the day before. "And keep my phone on in case anyone calls about anything."

And I was pretty sure the nurse had sent us up here more to annoy us for not going us what she wanted than because it was actually needed.

Adult people! Ugh!

I wasn't so sure about staying behind, but right after the doors fell closed behind Ryan my phone started buzzing with a call.

"Hey Charlie."

"I'm pretty sure that nurse has told someone from the news about that "Ryanman" is back." She let me know without even greeting and with a stressed and fast tone in her voice. "Because the door where you'll be leaving is crowded with cameras, microphones and people with notebooks."

Oh, come on!

"Thanks for telling me Charlie. Ryan's not with me for the moment, they needed OR wanted another X-ray. So either it is to annoy someone or it is to actually check something… I hope you'll be okay. Do you need me to come to give you a ride?"

"No, we're right on the bus now."

"You lot are great. You make my job so easy sometimes…" I thought back to yesterday. "…yeah… really some times. Call me if you need any help."

For some reason I hung up without even saying goodbye, my mind was just too occupied by everyone who would be meeting us when we got out from the hospital and how on earth it would feel Ryan. How would it have felt for him the last time knowing he actually hadn't done what people were praising him for?

That boy really had gotten into much trouble. Both from others and himself. More the first. And more than anything I just couldn't help to really feel sorry for him.

"Hey."

I hadn't even noticed the time passing by when Ryan came passing the doors. But it must have been half an hour or so and I flew up from the chair they had put right in front of those. Maybe it was for someone like me to wait and be able to have their phones…

"Charlie told me that the media has found out about you saving Alex. And after you stopping that criminal…" Ryan gave me a meaning look. "They still think you meant it.. Well, let's just say that there are some people wishing to talk to you once we're out the doors… I could ask someone if there's some back door or something. You've been through quite enough without this."

"It's fine."

It would have been less worrying for me if Ryan had screamed and kicked or shown more feeling- any of it then this way he just… looked!

"Let's go then."

He was obviously more secure about this than I was myself. Because with quick, long steps he more or less ran before be showing me the way to the doors. All until he suddenly stopped right inside and didn't seem to be able to make one more move.

"How did those x-ray pictures go by the way?"

I think Ryan knew I was pretty much only to make stupid conversation. But I did care, as much for him as for all of my kids- earlier just as the one I had now.

"Everything's like it should so now we only need to wait for it to heal."

I saw right in front of me how that doctor had pointed out how close to the heart a broken rib had been pushed during the heart compressions I had given him.

Whatever would I do if Ryan's answer was any different?

Whatever would, or should I do to let Ryan or Chloe or anyone else about how close I had been of killing him?

I shook my head, tried to tell myself that at least it had ended well for everyone and if Ryan hadn't reacted as soon as he had… Well, we could think about that another day.

"Ready?"

When Ryan looked back it was with real fear, these were the feelings he had tried so hard to hide before- he'd been hiding happiness too. I wasn't so sure if anyone else could see it but I could see fear shining from his eyes.

I got a feeling he was about to say or do something new, and a second before we walked through those doors he gave a nod.

"Ready!"

**The whole storyline with Ryan staying back for an x-ray is probably wrong. But it would make sense for them to ask Alex and Charlie to leave so they can get rid off one patient when they have loads to do. And I also needed it for the storyline about Charlie calling Mike and them walking out of the hospital to meet all of those people. **

**Random fact **

I was wondering if people actually gets patient- meals when having come to the A&E. Then I remembered. There is a space when you need first when you come in. In case the doctors wants to keep you under observation or so you can also be put in a ward for the patients to come here- and yes! They do get those meals. How do I know? Because I got food the night I was in hospital after my first seizure. It was salmon and potato and that's good food but it was too dry.

**Can you tell I like food? XD**

**See you next time! **


	4. An actual hero

**Thanks to Justice237 for reviewing. **

"So, from what we heard you actually saved…"

"Ryan Reeves, you did st…"

"…Hero times two…"

Once I and Ryan stepped through the doors outside on the asphalt pavement there were news reporters and journalists right into Ryan's face asking all questions at once. I kept my hand on Ryan's back and tried to shove my way through them when Ryan suddenly shook my hand away and backed to face all of these people.

"Please…" He showed them to silent. "I want to say something."

Slowly, one after the other the people around the other seemed to silent, still trying to get one comment or two.

I must say I was at least as curious as they were. A bit behind I stood quite waiting to hear what he said when I saw Ryan take a deep breath in (along with putting a hand to his ribs when they moved) and look around before he spoke.

"You talk about the day when I stopped a thief, you're talking about yesterday when Alex was drowning. But I wasn't the hero neither of those times… And I could just ignore it like I have before… but before, in my whole life. I've been living through the lies, that I or anybody else told me. Lies that were so real they seemed real. And… I don't want to lie anymore."

I suddenly noticed I was still standing turned as if I was on my way to go to the car and not until I felt the hairs rise on my neck I turned where I stood and watched Ryan- about a meter taller he had been only a couple of hours before.

"I wasn't a hero the first time you called me one- I came around the corner and the thief tripped right over me."

"But the second… you saved a life only yesterday." I heard from the group of people. "And almost risked your own life doing so."

"The horse I was riding on was named Hero. And he was the Hero. Just as we turned away from the beach and up he just wouldn't go. He kept on turning back and… That was when I took my helmet off. It was like I thought that if I didn't wear it he could hear my thoughts and I could hear his. And for a moment it almost seem as if it worked. For just a few seconds he did as I wanted to and we were going further and further from the beach. Then suddenly he stopped, he heard something I couldn't- maybe he heard as Alex fell into the water. It was only a second later we heard Charlie screaming…. Hero, Alex and Charlie had just as big parts in this as I did. And… There was literally only one Hero."

In the group of people around Ryan voices had silent and microphones and pencils had stopped their work.

"So…" One of the news reporter's said what they must all have been thinking. "It was just a coincidence the first time around? And then yesterday… it wasn't even you doing the most job?"

Ryan shook his head, but I couldn't help but smile and feel my heart beating with pride. Having known Ryan, seeing him speaking his truth like that meant more than any times he could or could have not have been the day's hero.

The reporters didn't seem to share my opinion though. They walked away one after one, Ryan's truth might not be the greatest one so they'd leave this be and leave Newcastle's people believing Ryan had been the hero the first time, and not just stumbled upon.

"Nice job kid." I said and patted his shoulder when he came back. "That was bravely done. Now what do you say? Stables or Ashdene Ridge?"

"Ashdene Ri…"

"WAIT." A journalist came running across the parking lot. "RYAN… MR. REEVES. I HAVE TO TALK TO YOU."

"Mr. Reeves…" He said with a look towards me. "That's a first. I quite like it. Yes?"

I stepped away and walked down the pavement when that journalist started talking with Ryan. I stood too far away to hear what they were saying. But the man was making notes wildly in his notebook, and at one point Ryan even gestured towards me, and the man kept noting in his notebook. The short and fat man almost jumped where he stood and ended the meet with shaking Ryan's hand so hard Ryan was almost pulled right into the ground. And then stood to have his photo taken with the brick wall of the hospital in the background.

"I won't be on the news this time." Ryan said with a mischievous smile when he came back to me a quarter of an hour later. "But… I think we'll have to keep a lookout on every chronicle of every paper."

"What?"

"You'll see what I mean"

And I did… sure I did a week later when I spotted a picture of the young man in the paper and started reading the chronicle. For the moment being quietly so I could read it myself first.

_There are many reasons to be called a hero. _

_Only last year we wrote about the boy in the picture, Ryan Reeves. Yesterday he stood in front of all of us, and others to tell us the truth about the day we saw him last. That him catching a thief was nothing but an accident. _

_There are many reasons to be called a hero. _

_The day after he was at the beach he stood in front of a group journalists and reporters to tell the truth. A truth that I know I could never have told. _

_There are many reasons to be called a hero. _

_When talking to Ryan himself he doesn't keep it to himself. He mentions his childhood in care, he mentions all of the people he's met. And without mentioning names how many of these kids have gone through things most adults haven't and are still standing up. _

_There are many reasons to be called a hero. _

_Ryan gestured towards a care worker he calls Mike and how many kids he have had under his wings. And yet having the time for each and every one- including Ryan Reeves himself. Ryan mentions that without Mike he'd never been able to grow into the man he is today. _

_There are many reasons to be called a hero. _

_And only last week, when Ryan had gotten off the back of a horse named Hero he was the actual one, when he told people the truth rather than boasting about a lie he hadn't even done. _

_There are many reasons to be called a hero. _

_Somewhere out there is a kid who Ryan pulled out the water, somewhere out there is a guy who faces his punishments thanks to running at the exact same time at the exact right place where he as good as flew over Ryan Reeves. _

_Because Ryan Reeves is the hero. Even though he might not see it himself. And maybe out there, there are more heroes than people could ever tell. _

_There are heroes out there for reasons one could never tell. _

_And in it we've got a choice sometimes. Do we want to boast about the things we didn't do, or maybe even keep quiet about the things that we did. _

_I know for a fact that Ryan Reeves is my hero after all. And then it doesn't matter what he says or thinks himself. _

_Josh Miller _

I swallowed the lump in my throat, I hadn't even noticed the tears that had rose in my eyes. As proud as I was over these kids sometimes.

"Mike?" Taz questioned from the other side of the table. "Why are you crying?"

Why was I crying for that matter?

"I'm not sad I'm just so…" I passed the magazine to May- Li who read the text out loud for the others, including Ryan. "See kids. Now that's something that can happen if you tell people the truth. And that goes for all of you."

"You know…" Finn started talking as soon as May- Li had finished reading. "You're RyanMan… Hip hip" He had started shouting before anyone had the time to reach and we joined in his shouting. "HURRAY."

Ryan took it quite calmly, standing by the wall, sipping from a cup of tea and seemed far away in his own thoughts.

"Really…" He said once the cheering had died out. "…If this is what comes out of telling the truth I usually don't I should start telling people about my toilet habits."

**Random fact **

This story kind of sucked really… Oh well. No stories are still worse. I hope someone out there liked it more than I did.

**The end! **


End file.
